American firefighters announced last Friday that the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles has been completely extinguished, marking the end of the blaze that lasted over three weeks. The fire burned more than 14,000 acres of land in eastern Los Angeles, equivalent to about 57 square kilometers. Meanwhile, the Palisades Fire, located on the west side of Los Angeles, has also been fully extinguished, with a total area of 23,448 acres (approximately 95 square kilometers) affected.
The California Fire Department stated that these two fires, along with several other smaller ones, have become one of the most severe natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles County. The fires caused 28 deaths and damaged or destroyed over 16,000 buildings. Officials in Los Angeles County reported that up to 180,000 people were evacuated at the peak of the fires.
Forecasts from the private meteorological agency AccuWeather indicate that the economic loss and devastation resulting from the fires are expected to exceed $250 billion. This event highlights the enormous risks posed by climate change and the challenges of fire response.
